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The Black Whole
“The Black Whole” is the fourth written episode of the Don Trek fan-fiction series written by Don Stevens. From a current production standpoint, and with historical context, it’s the fourth episode and based loosely on an original DonTrek ''story that was in fact the fourth ''Don Trek story ever written. For more information see the notes below the story. Previous episode: She Was Just Seventeen Next episode: The Constitution of the Unknowns Synopsis When Capt. Don, Cmdr. Mike, and the crew of the'' USS Bonneville'' face a strange anomaly in space it effects the whole crew in the oddest of ways. The Bonneville may survive but will her crew make it out alive? The Story Captain’s log stardate 9411.28: We are leaving Drycon 3, a mostly peaceful planet with an early warp civilization. It’s refreshing to see a society where they managed to get into space with so little death and destruction. Our next stop is an uncharted system of five planets orbiting a yellow sun; our probe told us that one is a habitable class M planet with some basic insect and planet life. If I remember correctly that means a lot of bugs that eat plants and plants that eat bugs.” Act One “You’ve got the con Cmdr. Mike,” Capt. Don said as he rubbed his eyes, “I can’t begin to tell you how tired I’m feeling right now.” “It’s those strange new worlds Capt. Don you just don’t want to stop looking and you have no idea how tired you are till you leave them,” explained Cmdr. Mike. “There is more truth to that than you would think,” agreed Lt. Solok. “I do not get tired as fast as you do, and even though I do not get excited about these strange new worlds there is much to be done, I do get tired on first contact type missions.” “How human of you Lt. Solok,” smiled Capt. Don as the turbolift door closed before he had a chance to see how unaffected his Vulcan science officer had been at the tired joke. Capt. Don headed to his quarters exhausted but satisfied. After the snail crisis, the deep space station ordeal, and the run in with the Klingons it was nice to be doing some exploring. A sonic shower and a good night sleep were in order. As Capt. Don and a vast majority of the crew slept the USS Bonneville kept racing off toward the next system under the command of Cmdr. Mike and the watchful scientific eyes of Lt. Solok. “Cmdr. Mike sir,” started Lt. Drew, “my navigation computer has picked up a slight pull on the ship, I’ve had to adjust course.” “Lt. Solok what do you make of this?” “Commander, I have been monitoring the flow of space dust surrounding the ship for over an hour and up until this moment I have thought nothing of it,” Lt. Solok reported, “but now I think it is noteworthy.” “Why now,” asked Cmdr. Mike?” “Because it is about to happen again.” “Sir, he’s right,” Lt. Drew confirmed, “I’m adjusting course.” “So it’s enough to cause us to adjust our course but not to pull us off of it then,” asked Cmdr. Mike? “Effectively,” answered Lt. Solok, “but I think the situation needs to be monitored and a probe should be launched to investigate.” “Agreed, launch the probe,” ordered Cmdr. Mike. Act Two The USS Bonneville operated on a three to four shift schedule depending on the mission and the needs of the crew, so when Capt. Don woke up to eat breakfast Cmdr. Mike would be going to the mess to eat dinner. Most of the time Capt. Don and Cmdr. Mike would eat in the mess with the crew, on rare occasions they would eat in the Captain’s dining room. This morning Capt. Don waved Mike into his dining room. “So how was the late shift Mike,” asked Capt. Don? “Oh, mostly uneventful, just some strange happenings that caused us to make a few course changes, nothing too odd though.” “Launch a probe,” asked Capt. Don, “I bet you launched a probe?” “Yes we did.” “Was it good for Lt. Solok,” laughed Capt. Don, “it seems to me that he shows a bit of emotion when he launches a probe. Ha ha ha!” “I think you may be right,” chuckled Cmdr. Mike, “but seriously, I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. I haven’t caught him in the closet with a probe making love yet.” “Well that’s not why I pulled you aside. Have you seen the latest episode of “Dawson’s Starship” yet?” “No Don,” answered Cmdr. Mike, “that doesn't air till tonight.” “Mike, I had a dream last night,” Capt. Don said as he started to whisper, “and I think I saw the ending of tonight’s episode.” “That’s funny Capt. Don,” laughed Cmdr. Mike, “but security is so tight on that show that there is no way anyone could know tonight’s episode.” “I know,” the captain handed a piece of paper over to his first officer and said, “I’ll be on the bridge when it airs, you watch it. After the show airs you open this paper up and tell me if it’s the ending or not?” “Alright,” agreed Cmdr. Mike, “and if it’s the ending?” “Then it’s the ending.” As Capt. Don sat in the captain’s chair and surveyed the bridge operations of the USS Bonneville Cmdr. Mike watched Dawson’s Starship with the same intensity that he always had, all the way to the end. Right as the credits started to scroll down the screen he picked up the piece of paper Capt. Don had given him and looked at what he’d written down. His face turned white as a ghost! “Cmdr. Mike to the bridge.” “This is the bridge, Lt. Pam speaking, how may I direct your communication?” '' “This is Cmdr. Mike, is Capt. Don there?” ''“One moment please…” Cmdr. Mike waited for what felt like an eternity for her to return to the line. “Capt. Don is using the restroom now; do you want the officer in charge?” '' “No,” responded Cmdr. Mike, “I’ll try him in a few minutes.” ''“Would you like to leave a message?” “Sure, just tell him Cmdr. Mike called.” When Capt. Don returned to the bridge and relieved the officer that had been relieving him while he relieved himself Lt. Pam gave him the message. “Get me Cmdr. Mike ASAP!” Lt. Pam did just that. “Well,” asked Capt. Don, “what’s the deal?” “Your dream was dead on; you got the ending to Dawson’s Starship down to the letter!” “That’s just odd,” mused Capt. Don. “Sir,” interrupted Ensign Tommy, “I’ve had to make another course correction.” “Cmdr. Mike we are going to have to finish this later, maybe next meal break if you’re up.” Capt. Don stood up and walked over to the helm and took a good look at the displays. He then walked over to the science station and asked Ensign Hank to show him the pattern of the gravity pull that was pulling them off course this time as compared to the others. “Do you see what I see Ensign Hank,” asked Capt. Don, “do you see that the pattern in the squiggly lines is just like the ones from before?” “I do sir,” answered Ensign Hank. “Do you know what they mean?” “I think they are the signature of the pull,” answered Ensign Hank. BEEP! BEEP! “What’s that?” asked Capt. Don! The door opened to the bridge and Lt. Solok walked out of the turbolift and said, “That is the destruction indicator for the probe. The probe has been lost.” Capt. Don repeated, “The probe has been lost.” Buzz! Buzz! ' '“I know what that is,” yelled Capt. Don, “that’s the off course indicator! What’s going on?” “It’s happening too fast sir,” answered Ensign Tommy, “we’ve lost helm control.” The ship shook and shaked as Capt. Don struggled to get back to his chair. “RED ALERT!” ordered Capt. Don, “bridge to engineering, can you give us full stop.” “Impossible sir, the pull is too powerful!” “Then can we break out if it by going in the other direction?” asked Capt. Don. “That would tear us apart!” “Then we only have one option, we must turn into it!” ordered Capt. Don. “This might be the wrong time,” admitted Lt. Solok, “but did you know that Beatrice leaves Dilwad tonight on the season finally of Sigma Beta 90210?” “What,” responded Capt. Don, “how could you know that? That episode doesn’t air till tomorrow night?” “I cannot explain it Capt. Don,” answered Lt. Solok, “I just know it to be true.” “That’s odd, just man your station and try to get me a reading on what’s pulling us in,” ordered Capt. Don. “Lt. Pam, get Cmdr. Mike up here right away!” “He’s on his way Capt. Don,” reported Lt. Pam. “I need some information on what’s pulling us in,” ordered Capt. Don. “You are not going to believe this,” reported Lt. Solok, “but the best way for me to explain it; a black hole.” Cmdr. Mike entered the bridge and said, “Tarlack gets eliminated on tonight’s Master Chef: Romulas.” “Is there any way we can confirm this,” asked Capt. Don, “Lt. Pam, monitor Romulan entertainment channels for the show and Cmdr. Mike it seems like we are being pulled toward a black hole.” “A black hole?” “Yes, a black hole,” answered Lt. Solok, “a point in space where everything gets sucked in, forever.” “Capt. Don,” called out Lt. Pam, “the show just ended and… Tarlack just got eliminated!” “This is surreal,” mumbled Capt. Don and then he raised his voice to ask, “Lt. Solok, do you think the black hole and the fact that everyone is dreaming the end of popular TV shows are connected?” “There is no scientific basis for that hypothesis Capt. Don.” Cmdr. Mike then interjected, “look, we’re out here to discover new things, maybe this is a new kind of black hole?” “Then it would be operating in a completely different way than any other black hole we have ever encountered,” countered Lt. Solok and then he looked back into his viewfinder. “Are there any other large objects being pulled toward the black hole?” “No there are not, just us and space dust,” answered Lt. Solok as he continued to look in his view finder. “We’ve a problem,” announced Lt. Pam, “it seems random crew members are falling asleep right where they stand. Wait… then they are waking up with details about the endings of future TV shows!” Right then in front of Capt. Don’s eyes Ensign Tommy fell asleep right on the helm control! Then one other, and another, and two more! “Why aren’t we passing out Mike?” “Maybe because we’ve already had our peek into television future,” answered Cmdr. Mike, “but I don’t know.” “That is as good of an answer as any I can come up with,” added Lt. Solok. “We are projected to hit the black hole in less than an hour.” A few moments later Ensign Tommy awoke and yelled out, “the fortieth Doctor is finally a ginger!” Then as he noticed his controls he added, “and we’re about to hit that probe we sent out!” Act Three “Brace for impact,” announced Capt. Don ship-wide to the crew of the USS Bonneville as they were about to hit a probe that only moments before was thought to have vanished into a black hole. It was a futile effort as no one had the time to brace for anything. “Shields will hold,” reported Lt. Solok, “but the inertial dampers will not be able to properly compensate.” The ship started to shake violently before the impact and Capt. Don, Mike, and Solok were confused as to why, but the worry of confusion was brought to a quick end when the impact with the probe became reality. As was always the case in such things everyone was violently tossed about in a very violent manner! “Capt. Don, the ship is slowing down!” yelled Ensign Tommy. “Captain, this is Mr. Bourbon in engineering, we were able to use the impact on the probe to slow the ship down a bit by tossing the engines in reverse right before the impact. We can’t stop it but we can slow it down!” “Good thinking Mr. Bourbon,” said Capt. Don, “good thinking, and try to come up with some more.” “Yeah, that’s not likely.” “Perhaps things are not as bad as we previously thought,” speculated Lt. Solok. “What cha mean,” asked Cmdr. Mike, “how could flying into a black hole be anything less that terrible?” “When it is not a black hole,” answered Lt. Solok. “Yeah, because if it’s a black hole then the probe wouldn’t be here,” exclaimed Capt. Don, “we wouldn’t have hit it!” “So why are we still being pulled toward it,” asked Cmdr. Mike, “because even if it’s not a black hole it still poses a danger.” “Agreed,” agreed Capt. Don. While the brightest minds aboard the USS Bonneville continued to ponder their fate, and how to cheat it, the ship kept being pulled in the direction of the black hole type event. Whilst and at the same time this was happening more and more crew members started falling asleep and then waking up knowing the ends of TV shows they had not yet seen. Almost two hours later the moment of truth had arrived. They were about to be face to face with what was either a black hole or something almost as terrifying as a black hole! Then the moment of truth arrived. “The event is viewable on screen,” said Ensign Tommy. “On screen then,” ordered Capt. Don, “prepare to enact the first of the countermeasures.” Lt. Solok went into action at the science station and Cmdr. Mike worked at the engineering station with Mr. Bourbon actually down in engineering. Ensign Tommy was at the helm ready to do his part when the word was given. “HOLD ON!” screamed Ensign Tommy, “the ship has come to a full stop,” he continued, “the helm is not responding but we’re at a full stop.” “What’s going on Mr. Bourbon,” asked Capt. Don, “what’d you all do?” “Not a thing Captain!” “Capt. Don!” yelled Lt. Pam, “there is a beam of light coming toward the ship.” “How are those shields,” yelled Capt. Don into his command chair communicator. “Our shields are at 100 percent sir,” ''answered Bourbon, “but I doubt that’s a weapon so I don’t know how we’re going to react to it.”'' “The communications board is lit up,” reported Lt. Pam. “They’re scanning us?” “No Capt. Don,” replied Lt. Solok, “they are uploading information into our computer. At this rate they will fill our computer.” “Lt. Pam, hit the kill switch,” ordered Capt. Don, “turn all communications off!” Lt. Pam carried out the order and reached over to key in the sequence for the shutdown hitting all the buttons and switches with due diligence. Then right at she hit the last switch the panel lit up and an electric shock surged through her. “Help!” she yelled. “Sickbay to the bridge,” ordered Cmdr. Mike. “Don’t touch her,” warned Lt. Solok. “Lt. Pam, can you hear me,” asked Capt. Don. “Yes, I can hear you,” she answered as her eyes started to glow, “I can hear everything, I can see everything, I’m everywhere in time.” “What do you mean?” “Captain, I’m in black and white, color, 3D, interactive, and holovision,” she said as her voice started to reverberate. “I know the beginning, middle, and the end of every show ever made! I AM IN EVERY SHOW EVER MADE!” “Lt. Pam,” said Capt. Don as calmly as he could, “we are going to work this out; everything is going to be alright.” Dr. Good Doctor entered the bridge and started scanning her with a medical tricorder. “The amount of energy and information flowing through her is enormous Capt. Don.” “Doctor, what do we need to do to save her?” Capt. Don looked up into the Doctor’s eyes and he got the only answer he needed to know just looking into them. “There’s no hope for me,” Lt. Pam’s voice reverberated, “there’s no reason to live.” Off in the background Mr. Bourbon’s voice tried to shoot over the commotion on the bridge, “''Lt. Camcorder is on her way up to the bridge now, she may be able to absorb the energy…”'' “Why,” asked Cmdr. Mike, “why not live?” “Because I know how it all ends,” answered Lt. Pam. Then she fell down dead. Act Four After the energy left Lt. Pam’s lifeless body it dissipated into the air. Then Dr. Good Doctor made a full assessment and found no physiological reason for Lt. Pam’s death. “Her body is in 100% perfect shape,” said Dr. Good Doctor, “I’ve never seen anything like it before.” “Then why’d," sighed Capt. Don, “she die?” “I don’t know,” answered Dr. Good Doctor, “maybe because she knew all there was to know? Maybe we live to seek out endings and when you know the beginning and ending of every show there ever was there is no reason to live?” “Captain,” called out Ensign Tommy, “the event is dissipating.” Capt. Don turned around and watched the view screen as the event that at one time looked to be a black hole collapsed and turned into normal space. The USS Bonneville stayed right there at that place in space for days as the events of the event were investigated and the space around the occurrence was analyzed, and then analyzed some more. When it vanished it not all evidence of it went away and there was much data collected. It was discovered going through her records that Lt. Pam desired to be buried at space if she were to die among the stars, so a funeral was held on the USS Bonneville. The chaplain, Father Michael, held the service, everyone that knew her spoke and Capt. Don ended the service. “…and then, and the…” he fought through even though he was choked up, “… and then there was a black fade to credits!” Amazing Grace was played all throughout the USS Bonneville as the casket was lowered into a firing bay and Capt. Don gave the order. “FIRE!” The casket holding Lt. Pam’s body was shot into the coldness of space to forever rest in peace. Capt. Don, Cmdr. Mike, Lt. Solok, and the newly promoted Lt. Tommy watched as it floated out of sight. Then all of a sudden, with no warning, the event opened up again. This time nothing happened to the ship or anyone on it. The event opened up and took in Lt. Pam’s casket. “What’d you think that was about?” “Dammit Mike, hell if I know,” answered Capt. Don, “but call up to the bridge and have them get us out of here just in case.” “Yes sir.” '' ''“Captains log stardate 9412.07: We don’t know how each day is going to end and maybe that’s for the best, because if we did then why would need to keep living? Lt. Pam died because what point is there to going on if you know not just the end of every episode but every season, every series, and how every plot point is going to turn out? Lt. Pam is the only person, to even for a moment, know every ending and the one thing we can be thankful for is that she was good hearted enough not to give up any spoilers. Due to that dedication to her duty I’m putting her in for a posthumous promotion to the rank of lieutenant commander. We spend entire seasons wondering what the finale is going to be like and we never take the time to just enjoy the ride.” '' Background Information *This is a stand alone episode and while it does make mention of other episodes it does not insist upon them. *In the "captain's log" it is mentioned that they just left Drycon 3. So basically what we have done here is establish that there are at times other missions that occur between some of the written episodes. This allows for future stories to be told that fit into this season or for ''Don Trek stories to be written by someone other than Don that also fit into the Don Trek timeline. *In this story Capt. Don and Cmdr. Mike make jokes at the Vulcan Lt. Solok's expense, much like Kirk and McCoy did with Spock. *This story is based on episode four of Don's orginial writings back around 1994-95. It deals with a black hole like event where the original dealt with an actual black hole. *In the original story no one dies but is lost. LCDR Melanie is captured by a ship that kits the description of a Star Destroyer from Star Wars. None of that Star Wars element is present in this story. In this story a crew member is lost to death and then is lost into the black hole like event. *There will be Star Wars crossovers in Don Trek but not as they were in the original Don Trek writings.'' "When doing crossovers it is important to make sure that both the writer and the reader understand that there is something different about every galaxy/universe/etc. so you don't just have a'' Federation'' starship in a battle with a star destroyer and have your heroes come out the victor because you feel that phasers/lazers or deflectors/shields are just more awesomerester than the other. There has to be an incompatibility or an obsticle that must be overcame by both parties before say the USS Model T just gets tossed into a galaxy far far away and fires photon torpedoes and blows up the Death Star. I mean that might be a fun video clip to make but it's really just a lousy story. In all honesty the only way to really write that is to have the Imperial Empire exist in our galaxy and be discovered via exploration. I don't really want to do that because it's lazy, I want to make it an adventure." ~Don'' *Lt. Pam is the character who dies in this story and this is the last time she will appear as a regular cast member in a Don Trek story, because the character dies. We all know that when a character dies in sci-fi they are never ever seen again. *In the original story they are ordered to explore the black hole by Adm. Kevin, in this story they are pulled to the event. Adm. Kevin is not in this story but will apear in the next Don Trek story. *The TV show spoilers are an original addition to this story and is a commentary on how people, and even networks and studios themselves, ruin a show for people that have not seen it and how sometimes if you know the end it's not really worth watching. This is not always the case though. *In the original story something in the black hole makes the crew members fall in love with each other, it's not so in this story. *Lt. Drew is named after someone Don knew in high school. *''Dawsons Starship'' is named after the Dawson's Creek TV show. *The line, "the probe has been lost," and then that line being repeated is a recognition of Gilligan’s Island's line, "The Minnow would be lost." *Ensign Tommy, a character named after someone Don knew in high school, is promoted to Lt. Tommy the same way Lt. Pam was promoted, due to another crew members death. *''Sigma Beta 90210'' is named after'' Beverly Hills 90210''. *The singularity in this story is not really a black hole as we know it. *''Master Chef'': Romulas is named after Master Chef on Fox in the United States. *The line spoken by Ensign Tommy, “the fortieth Doctor is finally a ginger!” implies that the Doctor from "Doctor Who" will go past his 12th version and beyond ar some point. He will also be a ginger. *There was no medical reason for Lt. Pam's death as reported by Doctor Good Doctor, she is in perfect physical state aside from not being alive, so she has that. *Lt. Pam was promoted after her death, "...posthumous promotion to the rank of lieutenant commander." *Amazing Grace is played for Lt. Pam's funeral just like it was for Spock in Star Trek III. Artwork *The cover art for this story was made using Paint.net. It is a combination of an existing picture of an'' Excelsior-class ship'', a representation of a black hole, several different kinds of TVs, a phonton torpedo and the last names of the people that inspired the characters. Reception Respected and noted Detective-fiction writer Zach Klein said, "the best yet. gotta love television." Inspired by *Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry. *Don Trek is not endorsed, sponsored, or affiliated with Paramount Pictures, CBS Studios Inc. or the "Star Trek" franchise. The Star Trek trademarks, logos, and related names are owned by CBS Studios Inc., and are used under "fair use" guidelines.